A Destiny Deferred
by Buretsu
Summary: Two warriors meet for the first time on the field of battle. So why does it feel like they should know each other already? (Finally completed!)
1. I Will Be a Tamer! Rika Falls to the Di...

The sound of multiple crashes, one after the other filled the air.  After a few seconds the dust settled, revealing nine large craters in the ground.  For a few seconds there was silence, and then groans could be heard coming from several of them.

"Guilmon, are you okay?" Takato asked, getting up from the dirt.  He looked over to the red lizard digimon, who was sitting in another nearby crater, sadly shaking a backpack.

"It's gone.  The bread went bye-bye," Guilmon said with a groan.  All of the bread had fallen out during the fall into the digital world.

Takato groaned at his partner before looking up and seeing a strange orb in the sky.  It was green and blue, vaguely like Earth, except for the large craters and weird projections.  "Is that Earth?  Wait a minute… did we fall from all the way up there?"

Guilmon wasn't listening, still mourning the loss of his precious food.  "My poor bread…"

Nearby, Takato's friends got up from the craters they were lying in.  Kazu, in his visor and a black shirt expressed his own disbelief.  "There's no way!"

In the crater next to his, more movement could be seen.  Levering itself up from the dirt was a large bronze robot, Kazu's partner Guardromon.  "Well," he said, "According to my sensors, we did indeed fall a very long distance."

"There's no way we could have survived," Jeri said from another nearby crater.  She knelt on the ground, brushing dirt off her green dress as her partner offered a massive hand.

"Welcome to the Digital World," Leomon said in an abnormally jovial tone.  "Need a hand?"

Jeri took the proffered hand as Henry struggled to emerge from the crater he was in. Terriermon was perched on his shoulder.

"So this is the Digital World," Henry said in awe.

"What did you expect?  Everything to look like a video game?" Terriermon said sarcastically from Henry's shoulder.

"No…" the blue-haired boy said, "I guess I pictured something different.  I just never thought it would be so real."

The last member of the group, Kenta, sat up from the dust, adjusting the glasses on his face.  "Well, I'll probably never forget that experience," he said, joining everybody in looking up at the strange orb high in the sky.

Guardromon's mechanically enhanced eyes were the first to spot the movement in the sky.  "Incoming!"

Kazu pulled out his digivice, the ring around the screen as bronze as the twin buttons on his face.  A screen popped into being, hovering several inches over the display, showing what Guardromon was seeing.

"What could it be?" Henry asked, straining to see.  After a few seconds, he could see a dot heading straight towards them.

"I think its another person," Kazu said, not even Guardromon's superior vision able to make out more than that.  "And it's falling fast."

Yelling could soon be heard, getting louder as the falling person got closer.  In a few seconds, everybody turned their faces away as whoever it was impacted with the ground, sending up a massive cloud of dirt.

"Woah!" Takato exclaimed, "Is that what happened to us?"  As one the group ran over, circling around the freshly formed crater.  Kazu waved an arm, trying to clear the dust as the newly fallen person slowly got to her feet.  "It's amazing we made it here in one piece."

"Hey, that's-" Kazu began, recognizing the newcomer.

"Rika!" Jeri exclaimed, as the girl in question began to brush stray dirt from her hair and shirt.

"You were expecting somebody else?" Rika said, one eyebrow raised, as she straightened the collar on her brown trench coat.

"We weren't expecting anybody," Kazu said, "let alone you."  Rika chuckled wryly.

"You know, not to be rude or anything," Henry said, "What exactly are you doing here?"

"I came for the view," Rika said sarcastically.  "Why do you think I'm here?  If all of you can become Tamers, there's no reason why I can't too."

"Well," Kazu said, "Except for the fact that you, Rika Nonaka, the Digimon Queen, one of the best Digimon card players in Japan, aren't while I, who, as you put it at the last tournament, couldn't tame my way out of a wet paper bag, am one?"

Rika narrowed her eyes angrily, and crossed her arms.  "Yes, despite all that," she grimaced.

"Well, what are we going to do about her?" Takato asked.

"Since we can't exactly send her back," Henry said, thinking out the situation, "I guess we should take her with us."

"Damn straight," Rika said, climbing out of the crater.

"Well, at least there's someone else around who doesn't have a partner," Kenta piped up.  "We got something in common," he said to Rika.

"Hmmph," Rika grunted, turning her back on Kenta.  

Kenta sighed and walked over to Kazu, taking the flag with everybody's picture on it, and jabbed it into the ground, calling out to the others.

"How about some pictures?" Kenta said, pulling out a digital camera.  "They'll make good mementos."

"I hate cameras," Rika grumbled, turning away from the group.

"Nobody's forcing you," Kazu replied, gathering everybody else in for a group shot.

"Come on Rika," Jeri urged the reluctant girl, smiling, "it's just a couple of pictures."

Rika agreed with a grumble, and Kenta began taking pictures of various groups of Tamers.  Kazu and Guardromon somehow managed to be at least partially in every shot, but the others didn't seem to notice.

Afterwards, Takato sat down a short distance away; pulling the device Yamaki had given them out of his backpack.

"I don't suppose there's any bread in there?" Guilmon asked, hungry as usual.  He sniffed around the bag, but Takato shook his head.

"Sorry boy, all the food was in your pack," Takato told the disappointed lizard.

"Oh no!" Kenta exclaimed, checking out the pictures stored on his camera.  "What's wrong with the pictures?"

Henry took the camera from his friend, glancing over the photos.  "They're all pixilated, like it couldn't get a clear image."

"That's not all that's wrong," Takato added, pressing a button on the communicator device a few times.  "This thing won't connect.  It's not receiving any signal."

"Hmmm," Henry muttered, forehead furrowed in thought.  "It's as if there's some sort of interference.  Maybe we need to boost the signal somehow?"

"Would an antenna do?" Rika asked, staring off into the distance.

"Well, if there were any around here, it might work," Henry told her.

"What about those?" she said, pointing at several strange shapes on the horizon.  "They look like antennae to me."

"All the way over there?" Kenta protested.  "It's a long way to walk."

"Well," Takato said, "If it helps us get in contact with everybody back home, I say it's worth it."

"Then it's settled," Kazu said.  "Not like there are any better ideas."  Guardromon reached an arm down and Kazu hopped on, perching on the robot's shoulder.

"Need a lift?" Guardromon asked, offering an arm to Rika.  "It's really not a problem."

Rika shook her head.  "I don't need a lift.  I'll be fine just walking there."

"Don't even think I'm going to give you a lift," Terriermon told Henry from his usual perch on the boy's head.

"Jeri?" Leomon offered, but the girl shook her head too.

"If Rika can walk there, so can I."

Rika chuckled but said nothing, and soon the group was off and moving, off towards the antennae in the distance.  Henry walked beside Rika, trying to engage the girl in conversation.

"What exactly is it you're hoping to accomplish by being here?" he asked, naturally curious.

"I'm… not quite sure," Rika told him.  "I just get these weird feelings from time to time, you know?  Like I'm supposed to be here."

"You and weird feelings," Kazu said, Guardromon pulling up next to the duo.  Rika growled, and Henry looked between the two of them, confused.

"Am I missing something?"

"The Card Battle Tournament last year," Kazu explained.  "Rika was favored to win, especially since Ryo wasn't scheduled to compete."

Rika grumbled louder at the mention of her rival's name.  He was the only card player she knew who could actually beat her, and not by pure luck.  It infuriated her.  Kazu ignored her and continued.

"And yet, she never made it past the first round.  When she was interviewed later, all she had to say was 'Something just didn't feel right.'"

"Well, it was true!" Rika protested.  "I don't quite know how to explain it, but it felt like something was missing.  Like something that was supposed to be there wasn't."

"Oh no!" came the exclamation from the front of the group.  Everybody stopped to see the source of the problem.  After a couple hours of walking, they had reached their destination.  The only problem was, their destination turned out to be a formation of rocks.  From a distance, they had looked like antennae, but up close they were nothing more than large hunks of ground.

"All that walking for nothing," Takato sighed, plopping down onto the dusty earth.

"There's one good thing," Leomon told the group.  "They'll provide good shelter.  It's almost nighttime."

"Are you sure?" Jeri asked, looking around.  "It doesn't seem to be any darker than before."

"Just watch," the lion digimon said in a low rumble.  A few seconds later, a rush of movement appeared on the horizon.

"Umm, what is that?" Kazu asked, staring in horror.

"Night is falling," Guardromon explained as a huge wave of darkness descended over everything.  Night truly fell, brightness giving way to blackness as if by the flick of a switch.

"Well," Rika said as soon as the shock passed.  "That was interesting."

"We really are a long way from home, aren't we?" Takato asked nobody in particular.

"At least there's a good light show here," Terriermon said, watching large purple beams sweep over everything.

"What exactly are those?" Henry asked.

"Data Streams," Guardromon told him.  "Rather nasty little things.  Tend to suck you up from somewhere and spit you out somewhere else entirely.  To say it would be a good idea to stay away from them would be an understatement."

Just then, Rika noticed some movement in the corner of her eye.  "Umm, guys?  I don't think we're alone."

"What do you mean?" Kenta asked, looking around nervously.

"I can detect no strange presence," Guardromon told everybody, scanning the area.

"There!" Rika exclaimed as something came into sight on top of a rock formation.

"What kind of digimon is that?" Henry asked.

Rika was the one to answer.  It had always been one of her favorite Rookie digimon.  "If I'm not mistaken," she said, "that's… Renamon."


	2. Golden Warrior. Friend or Foe?

Henry pulled out his digivice and identified the digimon on the rocks.

"That's definitely Renamon.  Rookie Level, Data type.  Her special attack is Diamond Storm."

As if echoing Henry, Renamon leapt into the air, crossed her arms, and called out her attack.  A multitude of glowing projectiles filled the air, raining down on the group.  Guardromon stood against the attack, guarding Kazu and Kenta with his hard iron body.  A couple of the shots clanked against his armor, deflecting into the ground.  All around, the other digimon protected their partners.

Renamon's feet touched the ground and, with a snarl, she charged at the group.  Lifting his arms, Guardromon opened the twin missile bays on his wrists.  "Guardian Barrage!"  Several rockets popped out and flew at Renamon, whistles shrilling.  The fox nimbly dodged and the attack exploded against the rocks.

Guilmon was next.  He charged a blast of flame in his mouth with a cry of "Pyro Sphere!"  The flaming attack hurtled towards the yellow streak, but once again Renamon swerved, this time jumping high into the air, charging up another attack.  "Diamond Storm!"

"Leomon!  Rika!  Look out!" Jeri shouted to the two remaining members of the group in the path of the diamonds.

Leomon dodged to the side, but Rika found herself unable to move.  She could do nothing but stare at Renamon as the air filled with shots.  For the briefest of moments, their eyes met before the attack proceeded.

"Guardromon!  Protect Rika!" Kazu yelled, and Guardromon shot forward, trying to transpose his body between Rika and Renamon.  He wasn't quick enough, and Rika threw her hands up with a cry of shock as the glowing projectiles surrounded her.

Yells of horror sounded from each member of the team, only to be cut short.  Rika slowly opened her eyes, seeing several of the shots imbedded into the ground in front of her.  She looked around, and saw that each one had missed her, impacting harmlessly with the ground.

Renamon lightly touched down, turning towards Leomon.  The lion digimon pulled back his fist, readying his attack.  Renamon paused in mid leap, lifting her head as if she was hearing something nobody else did.

"Fist of the Beast King!" Leomon thrust his fist forward, sending a massive lion head energy blast at Renamon.  Once more Rika's gaze met the mysterious fox's, before Renamon jumped into the air and simply disappeared.

"Rika, are you alright?"  Takato asked, running up to the girl who was still sitting on the ground in stunned silence.  Rika slowly nodded her head yes, remembering the look in the eyes of the Renamon.  She wasn't one for reading emotions easily, but somehow she knew how the fox had been feeling.  A curious mix of rage and sadness had existed in those blue eyes.

"What was that all about?"  Henry wondered.  "Why did that Renamon attack?"

"Such is the way of the Digital World," Leomon responded.  "This is truly a harsh place.  In order to survive, one must be strong, and the only way to gain strength is by taking that of others."

"That's no way to live," Jeri said sadly.  "Makes me glad you're my partner now Leomon," she said, looking fondly up at her partner.

Guardromon spoke up before the great cat could blush.  "We really should set up camp for the night.  Who's going to take first watch in case that Renamon shows up again?"

"I'll do it," Rika hurriedly spoke up.  "I'll take first watch and wake you guys up in case anything happens."

"Well then," Kazu said, "I'll take second watch."

One by one, each member of the group took up a position on the watch.  As the others went off to their sleeping bags, Rika took a patrol of the surrounding area, deep in thought.  Her mind drifted to the Renamon that had attacked earlier, focusing on the moment when their eyes had met.  Rika had felt a certain pull, gazing into those crystal blue eyes, the same pull that had brought her to the park those several weeks back.  The same pull that had her following Takato's merry bunch of misfits.  The same pull that had drawn her to the cave that contained the portal to the digital world.

"Penny for your thoughts," a voice behind her said.  Rika jumped in surprise, recognizing it to be Henry's voice.

"My thoughts are none of your business," Rika snapped, face returning to its usual hard mask.  She hadn't even realized that her concentration had wavered.

"Yeesh.  I was just trying to help," Henry said, turning to go back to the group.  "You looked like you needed someone to talk to."

"I just want to be alone," Rika said, staring off into the distance once again.

"Being alone isn't all it's cracked up to be, Rika," Henry said.  He turned and walked back to the group, giving Rika room to think.

"Renamon…" Rika said softly, the name rolling easily off her tongue.  It almost felt like something should have happened when she said the name.  Nothing felt quite right.

******

"How did it go, my pet?"  A silky seductive voice asked, looking down on his slave.  She was under his complete control, not the way he would have liked her to be, but he took what he could get.

"I spied on the group as you requested, Master," Renamon said, prostrated in front of her Master's throne.

"And the group?"

"Six humans, four digimon.  Two Champions, two Rookies," Renamon reported.

"Such a motley crew," Master mused.  And one easily dealt with when the time came.  "I assume they were no trouble."

"Their pathetic attacks were easily dodged," Renamon told him, a hint of amusement in her voice.  "Though I get the feeling they weren't trying to inflict any serious damage."

"As I expected.  These 'Tamers' are soft, unwilling to harm what they call 'innocent Digimon'."

"Should I launch another attack on the group while they sleep?"

"No," Master said, waving away the idea.  "We want them to have all their energy when we attack them next.  Now leave me.  Not too far though, you know what I'll do if you try to escape."

Renamon's hand unconsciously went to her arm before springing back to her side.  "Of course, Master," she said, trying to hide the malice in her voice.  "I could never forget."  Bowing even deeper if such a thing were possible, Renamon backed out of the room, leaving her Master in silence.

That one would be trouble, he thought to himself.  If only she weren't so useful.  "Come to me," he said, hand reaching out towards the darkness around him.

"Yes, my lord," came the answer.  

A Gatomon stepped up to the throne next to Master, willingly baring her neck.  Master opened his mouth, revealing two sharp fangs, which he plunged into the flesh of the Gatomon.  The Gatomon slumped as Master drank deeply of her data, and he released her limp form, letting it fall to the ground.  A small group of his minions carried the body away, placing a Dust Packet to the wound in its neck.  In a matter of days, that one would be fit to feed on once more.

He only wished that Renamon had been more receptive.  She had resisted his every charm, something no other female digimon he had met had been able to do.  He had been forced to resort to more physical means of control.  While satisfying, she still was able to resist any of his attempts to feed on her.  He intended to rectify that situation as soon as possible.  None resisted the seductions of Myotismon.

******

Renamon fled Myotismon's throne room as fast as she was able, hand once again clenched to her arm, ignoring the pain such contact brought.  One of these days, she would be strong enough to rid herself of her Master once and for all.  Until that time, she was stuck being his faithful pet, wondering what designs he had for these so-called 'Tamers.'

The word seemed to strike a chord in her mind as if she should be more familiar with it.  Weird feelings such as that had been happening with increasing regularity.  It had come to a head during the preliminary attack on the Tamers, and that one strange girl.  There was something different about her, something special that Renamon could feel.  She had even altered her attack for the girl, curving the deadly projectiles around the child's body.  It was a moment of weakness, she decided, one that she could ill afford.

She ran through the digital world, enjoying the moments of freedom Myotismon gave her on occasions, startling the occasional wild digimon.  Her master had gained quite a reputation in the Digital World, and it was understood that if you messed with his favorite pet, the consequences would be dire.  Pausing on top of a rock formation, Renamon looked around.  Much to her surprise, she found herself above the strange girl from earlier, talking to one of the other humans.

"I just want to be alone," the girl said.  From atop her perch, Renamon chuckled.  The girl almost reminded her of herself.

"Being alone isn't what it's cracked up to be, Rika," the boy with her replied, walking away.  Rika.  So that was the girl's name.

Once more the girl was alone, and Renamon jumped down from the rocks, landing with barely a sound.  She started walking towards Rika, hearing her softly speak.  "Renamon…"

"That would be my name," Renamon said, expecting the girl to jump, or show some sign of surprise.  "Rika."

"I see you decided to come down," Rika said.  "Were you spying on me?"

"How did you know I was there?" Renamon asked, ignoring the question.  "You couldn't have seen me."

"I didn't need to see you," Rika answered, her back still towards Renamon.  "Somehow I just felt that you were there.  Were you spying on me?" she asked again.

"Not intentionally," Renamon answered, moving closer to Rika.  "I was out wandering, and somehow I ended up here.  With you."

"Our paths cross once again," Rika mused.  "Why did you attack us?"

"I had my reasons," Renamon said, carefully avoiding the question.

"Ones that you plan to keep to yourself," Rika replied.  "Unless I miss my mark?"

"Dead on," Renamon answered.  "That boy was right, you know.  I've been alone most of my life.  Not to say that it hasn't served me well, but sometimes its good to have someone to talk to."

Rika turned to answer, but Kazu's voice sounded in the darkness.  "I've come to relieve you," the boy said, coming into sight.  Rika turned, but she knew Renamon was already gone.  "Get some sleep.  You look tired."

Rika didn't reply, still staring in the direction she felt Renamon.  After a few seconds, she turned in silence and walked back to the camp.

Renamon watched her go, sensing a kindred spirit in the young human girl.  It was a shame.  "Such a waste.  They don't stand a chance against Myotismon.  Maybe I'll get lucky, and he'll only enslave Rika," she said, disappearing once again into the night.  The image of Rika, her head bent to the side as Myotismon's fangs sank into her neck, was stuck in her head the entire night.


	3. Myotismon strikes! Resist the Vampire

Rika woke up the next morning to the sound of loud talking.  She levered herself onto one elbow, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  The rest of the group was up and talking.

"We need to start trying to find Calumon," Takato was saying.

"Well, yeah," Kazu retorted.  "But we don't have the slightest clue where to start looking for the little dude."

"And it's not like we can just stop and ask someone for directions," Kenta added.

"No," a strange voice added, "Something like that could get you killed."

Everybody's eyes turned to twin mysterious figures on a nearby cliff, the source of the new voice.

"And we certainly don't want that," it continued.  "It would be a shame to watch you die before I get the chance to kill you!"  With those words, he jumped off the cliff, a cape fluttering behind him, and landed in a crouch.

"Who is that?" Jeri gasped.  Leomon growled and stepped in front of her.

Kazu answered her, analyzing the newcomer.  "Hey, it's a Myotismon, like from the show.  Ultimate level, Virus type.  Watch out for his Nightmare Claw, Grisly Wing, and Crimson Lightning attacks."

"A vile creature!" Guardromon announced.  "And one I'm familiar with.  It was her that attacked us, wasn't it?"

"Her?" Henry asked.

"That Renamon last night," Guardromon explained.  "She's his little pet."

A collective gasp sounded from everybody gathered, the loudest one coming from Rika.  Renamon stepped up to the front, kneeling next to Myotismon.

"I'm sorry, Rika," she said.  "I had so hoped I could get to know you better."

"Silence," Myotismon snarled, and Renamon bowed her head.

"Yes, Master," she replied, causing Rika to wince. It hurt her to see such an obviously proud warrior reduced to a servant.

"Better," Myotismon gloated.  "And now, I will destroy you all."  It wasn't so much brag as a simple statement of fact.  Kazu wasn't unnerved in the slightest.

"Big talk," he said.  "Can you back it up?"

"You dare?" the vampire digimon raged as one by one each digimon fell back into a fighting stance.  "Do you honestly think two Champions and two Rookies can beat me?"

"Honestly, no," Henry answered.  "Lucky for us that's not what you're facing.  Shall we show him, Terriermon?"

"Any time, Henry."

"Well, boy?" Takato said to his partner.  Guilmon drew back a claw, pupils dilated, a low growl in his throat.

In unison, Henry and Takato pulled out cards, and, as one, slashed them through their digivices.  "Digimodify!  Digivolution Activate!"

"Terriermon!" "Guilmon!" "Digivolve to…" "Gargomon!" "Growlmon!"

Renamon and Myotismon both stared at the sight before them.  Rika crossed her arms with a smug smile.  She always enjoyed watching the reactions of people new to the true power of the Tamers.

Myotismon recovered quickly, throwing his head back and laughing.  "Bah!  Four Champions now?  I hate to break this to you, but you still have no chance!"

Myotismon sprang forward, thrusting an arm out to his side.  "Crimson Lightning!"  A massive red energy whip emerged from his hand, and he lashed it out at Growlmon.

Growlmon roared as the whip caught him right under the chin.  His head flew backwards, the rest of his body going with it.

"Growlmon!" Takato winced as his partner crashed to the ground.

Myotismon cackled, his foot touching down on the ground, springing into a second leap.  A second red burst shot out from his hand, striking Leomon in the chest and sending the great lion crashing into the ground.

The element of surprise quickly disappeared, and Gargomon was the first to launch a counterattack.   "Gargo Laser!"  The twin guns on the ends of his arms blazed, barrels spinning, as he starting spraying Myotismon with shots.

Myotismon brought his hands up in front of him, energy lashes fading.  He threw them forward once again.  "Grisly Wing!"

A wave of Gargomon's blasts met one of Myotismon's bats.  For every shot of Gargomon's, one bat fell but two sprung up in its place.  As the battle continued in the air, Guardromon launched an attack from the side, sending several grenades at the vampire.  A great cloud of smoke obscured vision, and the bats stopped.  Slowly, Gargomon's guns spun to a halt, ends smoking.

"Did we get him?" Kazu asked, anxiously trying to peer through the smoke.  The answer came in the form of another attack call from inside.  "Nightmare Claw!"

An enormous shockwave erupted from the cloud of dust, hurtling towards Guardromon.  The bronze robot put up his arm in an attempt to block, but the wave was too powerful, and he was sent skidding backwards to slide to a stop, unmoving.

"Guardromon!"

"Guess it's my turn!  Bunny Pummel!" Gargomon yelled, charging energy on the barrels of his guns and launching himself at Myotismon.  The vampiric Ultimate ducked under the swings, retaliating by bringing his foot up under Gargomon's chin.  He turned his foot, launching a sidekick into the gun bunny's gut.  Gargomon joined the others, becoming one more groaning heap of Digimon.

"Pathetic," Myotismon sneered, gazing around the battlefield, looking for a fresh victim.  His eyes settled on Jeri, who was kneeling to check on Leomon.  "You," he said, his voice suddenly dripping with honeyed venom.  Jeri looked up to find that she was staring directly into Myotismon's eyes.  Slowly she stood up, and the vampire beckoned to her.

"Come to me, my darling."  Jeri slowly nodded, stepping towards Myotismon.  Leomon weakly reached out a hand trying to hold the girl back, but it slumped back to the ground.  Myotismon bared his fangs with a sinister chuckle as Jeri mechanically moved over to him.

"Snap out of it!" Henry called, clapping his hands a few inches away from Jeri's face.  Jeri quickly stopped, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs.

Myotismon growled and backhanded Henry across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.  "Idiot boy," the vampiric Ultimate said, reaching for Jeri's chin.

"Don't look into his eyes!" Rika screamed.  In response, Jeri managed to squeeze her eyes tightly shut.

"Bah," Myotismon hissed, shoving Jeri to the ground and turning to face Rika.  "She's not even worth the effort.  I greatly prefer females with spunk."

Rika looked away, but Myotismon was by her side in a second, grabbing the sides of her face, forcing her to look at him.  She struggled to keep her eyes closed, avoiding Myotismon's seductive gaze.

"G-get away from her!" Growlmon said, attempting to get up.  Almost disdainfully, Myotismon flung another Crimson Lightning at the demonic dragon.  He crashed into the ground, dedigivolving to Guilmon.  Everybody watched in horror as the chance of winning slipping away.

Myotismon returned his attention to Rika.  "Now my dear," he said, "It's time to feed."  With his fingers, he levered Rika's eyelids open, making the girl stare him in the eyes.  From her perch on the cliff, Renamon looked away, closing her eyes sadly.  She knew what was coming next.

Staring deeply into Rika's eyes, Myotismon once again bared his fangs.  "You are mine."  Renamon winced.

"Like hell I am!" Rika screamed, bringing her knee up into Myotismon's chest.  Renamon gaped as the vampire digimon staggered backwards, face contorted in rage.

"You're gonna pay for that!  Crimson Lightning!"  Myotismon extended a hand, lashing out at Rika with his attack.  It wrapped around the girl's waist, lifting her screaming into the air, and flinging her to the ground.  "I'll make you suffer!  Grisly Wing!"

A wave of bats flew from Myotismon's outstretched hands, washing over Rika.  The girl shrieked as the bats flooded over, ripping at her coat and nipping at flesh.

"Rika!" Renamon called, staring down at the girl.  She wanted to help Rika; it felt like she needed to help her.  The girl had resisted Myotismon, just as she had.  There had to be some meaning to that, and she was determined to find out what.  Taking a deep breath, Renamon jumped down from the cliff, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Diamond Storm!" she called, spreading her arms and summoning a spray of glowing projectiles.  She launched them all in a massive salvo at the small crater Rika was lying in, each one impaling one of Myotismon's bats.

Myotismon turned around with a hiss, staring down his pet.  "How dare you…"

"I can't let you hurt Rika," Renamon announced, her voice shaking slightly with fear.  She was determined to stand up to her Master, even if it was the last thing she did.

"You presume to disobey me?" Myotismon raged.  "I will show you the price for your impertinence!"  In a flash, Myotismon was behind Renamon, slamming the flat of his palm into the fox digimon's neck.  With a grunt, Renamon fell forwards, slumping to the ground.  With a flick of his wrist, Myotismon lashed out at Renamon with Crimson Lightning.  The energy whip wrapped around Renamon's glove, and the fox digimon let out a loud shriek before the attack sent her spinning into the air.  Renamon crashed to the ground, and struggled to get to her feet, clutching her arm.

"Nightmare Claw!"  Myotismon sent out another shockwave towards the fox.  Running full speed, Rika ducked her shoulder into a bash and slammed into Myotismon's side, causing the attack to narrowly overshoot Renamon.  Angrily, Myotismon turned, bringing his arm around for a slap, catching Rika full on the face.

Renamon gathered her strength for one more leap, snagging Rika's limp form out of midair.  She landed lightly on the ground, cradling Rika protectively, seeking out her target.  "I'm going to get you to safety," she told her unconscious passenger.

"Get back here!" Myotismon howled, lashing out with Crimson Lightning after Crimson Lightning.  Renamon's speed was too great, and she reached her mark, landing in the path of a massive Data Stream.

Myotismon growled with rage as the Stream sucked up his pet and the human, sent to who knows where.  Twin explosions drowned his anger out as Guardromon and Leomon got back to their feet, and nailed the vampiric digimon with their attacks.  Myotismon gathered his cape around him and vanished into the distance, saying not a word.

The Tamers watched him go, attempting to regroup and recover.

"Man!" Kazu gaped.  "He certainly schooled us!"

"Is it safe to come out yet?" Kenta asked from his hiding place behind a large rock.

"Myotismon left," Takato informed his friend as he checked on Guilmon.  "We're as safe as we're going to be."

"Good riddance," Jeri said, shuddering as she remembered Myotismon's foul spell.  "That guy gives me the creeps."  Leomon laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, and the girl smiled up at him.

"We will meet him again," Guardromon told everybody.  "That I am sure of."

"Anybody get the number of that bus that hit me?" Terriermon said, back to Rookie.  His body still ached from Myotismon's kicks.

"Yeah, 666," Henry muttered, trying to readjust his jawbone.  That backhand had hurt something awful.

"It's official," Leomon announced, rubbing his chest where Crimson Lightning had struck.  "I hate vampires."

Takato nodded.  "That's why we have to get Rika away from him as soon as we can.  There's no telling what that Renamon will do with her."

******

"Curse you, Renamon," Myotismon hissed as he tore through the digital world, hunting down his pet.  She would pay dearly, her and that accursed human child both.  Nobody resisted the charms of Myotismon.  Nobody!


	4. His name's Ryo Akiyama. An Old Rival Re...

The Data Stream faded, depositing Renamon and Rika in a new section of the digital world.  Carefully, Renamon set down her human charge, kneeling next to her concernedly.  She reached out a hand, gently shaking the girl's shoulders.  Rika's eyes fluttered open, staring into Renamon's worried eyes.

"Renamon," she said, strangely smiling.  "Thank you."  Rika slowly got up into a sitting position, her gaze meeting Renamon's.

Renamon was the first to look away.  "I couldn't let Myotismon hurt you," she said, shaking.

"What's the matter?" Rika asked, reaching a hand out to Renamon's shoulder.  The fox digimon shied away from the contact.

"I've disobeyed Myotismon in the past," Renamon told Rika, her hand unconsciously going to her left arm.  "And paid the price for it."

"What did he do to you?" Rika asked angrily.  In answer, Renamon tentatively peeled the glove off of her left arm.  Rika gasped in horror and Renamon looked away, a tear in her eye.

A multitude of scars cris-crossed her arm, each one an ugly red.  "Myotismon's whips are cruel," Renamon said.  "The cost of failure.  When he couldn't seduce me into his service, he whipped me into submission instead."

"Seduce?"

"Myotismon is very charismatic," Renamon explained.  "That charisma acts as a spell on his victims.  Females are typically powerless to resist his charms, willfully allowing him to feed off of them.  Somehow, I managed to defy him, and got these scars to show for it."

"That's what he did with Jeri," Rika realized, "and what he tried to do with me."

"By all reckoning, his spell should have worked on you too, Rika," Renamon told the girl.  "But for some reason it didn't."

"We'll worry about that later," Rika said, holding out a hand.  "For now, let me see your arm."

Renamon held her scarred arm out uncertainly and winced slightly as Rika took a hold of it.  "Do they hurt?" Rika asked.

"Not usually, but that fight with Myotismon didn't help matters," Renamon grimaced.  Rika lightly traced one of the scars with the tip of her finger.  Renamon flinched at first, but the contact didn't hurt, but rather felt strangely soothing.

"An interesting fusion," she mused.  "A strong spirit and a gentle touch."

Rika smiled at the golden fox.  "I only wish there was something I could do about them.  Why did you save me from Myotismon?" she asked as Renamon replaced her glove and stood up.

"It just felt like the right thing to do at the time," Renamon said, looking around to get a bearing on her surroundings.  She recognized the area, with its snow and floating gears, and knew who would be around.  "It still does, even knowing what Myotismon will do to me."  Renamon returned Rika's smile, albeit sadly.

"I'm glad you did," Rika told her, laying a hand on Renamon's shoulder.  "And I don't intend to let that freak get his hands on you.  Not if my companions and I have anything to say about it."

Renamon shook her head, placing her hand on Rika's.  "You saw the same battle I did.  Myotismon beat your friends easily."

"Thanks to the element of surprise," Rika responded.  "Next time, they'll be ready, and they'll show Myotismon the true power of the Tamer."

Renamon turned around and looked into Rika's eyes, seeing a flame burning behind them.

"And when they do, you'll be freed from his control," Rika continued, placing her other hand on Renamon's shoulder as well.  "I promise.  It's just a matter of us finding my friends before Myotismon finds us."

"Get away from that girl!" a voice called. Renamon turned around with a start as a huge digimon swooped to the ground right in front of her, growling angrily.  It looked like a large four-winged, upright, mechanical dragon.  Renamon took a few steps back as it spread its claws threateningly.

"What's going on, Renamon?" Rika asked, puzzled.

"I was afraid he'd show up," Renamon replied.  "I'll be close," she said, fading out of sight, leaving Rika with the strange digimon, still growling and looking around.

"It's all right, Cyberdramon," a boy said, coming into sight.  He was wearing a green shirt with darker green pants and had a bandana around his neck.  On one arm, he had a bizarre metal gauntlet.  "She's gone."

Cyberdramon fell silent, walking over next to the newcomer.  Rika's eyes narrowed.  "What was that all about?"

"I'm very familiar with that Renamon.  I've had a few run-ins with her, and her Master."

"I've had a run in with her 'Master' myself," Rika told him, hands clenched into fists, trying to contain her anger.

The boy nodded his head a few times.  "Then you know what I'm talking about.  She was probably planning to hand you over to Myotismon."

"Clueless as ever, Ryo," Rika said, rolling her eyes.

"Uhh, you seem to have me at a disadvantage," Ryo said, scratching the back of his head with his gauntlet-clad hand.  "You seem to know my name, but I don't know yours."

"Typical," Rika huffed.  "You don't even remember me."

"Sorry.  Should I?"

"Two years ago?" Rika prompted.  "The D-1 Grand Prix card tournament?  Rika Nonaka?"

Realization struck Ryo.  "The Digimon Queen!  I remember you now.  For a while there I wasn't sure I could beat you.  But, what are you doing in the Digital World?  It's been a while since I've seen another human being."

"I could ask you the same thing," Rika responded, then proceeded to tell Ryo about everything that had brought her to the Digital World.

"So, the Devas kidnapped Calumon, and a bunch of Tamers came to get him back?"  Rika nodded.  "So what did you mean when you said I was 'clueless as ever'?"

"Renamon," Rika said, looking off in the direction she felt the fox.  "Myotismon," she said, scowling, her hand tightly clenched in a fist.  "Myotismon is scum.  You know why Renamon is with him?  Fear.  She's afraid of him, Ryo, and with good reason."

"Rika," Ryo said, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder.  She angrily shrugged it off, glaring at Ryo.  The boy took a step back as Rika's body shook with anger.

"He's cruel to her, Ryo," she said, her calm tone belying the rage she showed.  "She serves him, and he whips her!  Her arm…" She touched her own arm unconsciously.  "It's covered in scars from all the times he beat her."

"I'm sorry," Ryo said.  "I didn't know."

"There's really no way you could have known," Rika told him, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.  "But now, it's only going to get worse.  She defied Myotismon, risked her life to save mine.  I just know he's going to do something terrible to her, and it'll be all my fault."

"Well then," Ryo said, "we'll just have to find her before Myotismon does."

A faint sound in the distance caused Rika to jerk her head off to the side.  Her eyes widened in shock and she gasped.  "Too late!" she yelled, running off in the direction that she felt Renamon.

"What do you mean it's too late?" Ryo asked, dashing off after the girl, Cyberdramon hot on his heels.

"Myotismon's got her!"  Rika called back, increasing her pace.

"Cyberdramon!" Ryo commanded, the cybernetic dragon coming along side him.  With an athletic leap, he vaulted onto Cyberdramon's back, the Ultimate Digimon's speed allowing them to overtake Rika.  As they passed the frantically running girl, Ryo extended a hand.  "This'll get us there much faster!"

Nodding, Rika reached up, Ryo grabbing her hand and pulling her onto Cyberdramon's back with him.  "That way!" Rika said, pointing.  Cyberdramon took two long strides and launched himself through the air towards Myotismon, aching for a fight.

"Why are you helping me?" Rika asked Ryo.  The boy shrugged in response.

"Guess it's just my nature.  And I was the one who scared that Renamon off."

"That's true," Rika said, causing Ryo to chuckle wryly  "Well, umm, thanks."

******

"Did you actually think that you could betray me and get away with it?" Myotismon asked, his fingers wrapped around Renamon's neck.  She dangled from his grasp, feet off the ground, clutching futilely at the hand on her throat.  "I'm not going to kill you just yet," Myotismon continued, "I plan to make you suffer first."

Grunting, Myotismon flung Renamon to the ground, summoning Crimson Lightning once more.  He planted his foot firmly on Renamon's scarred arm, causing her to scream out in pain.  Myotismon laughed evilly and raised his whip.  "Desolation Claw!"

Cyberdramon's attack struck empty ground as Myotismon leapt back.  He turned with a hiss to face the newcomers, Crimson Lightning still at the ready.  "Stay out of this, Akiyama," he growled.  "This isn't our fight."

"I don't care," Ryo declared as Cyberdramon stepped forward, flexing his metal claws.  "I'm not going to let you hurt that Renamon."

"This thing?" Myotismon said, picking up Renamon's groaning form again.  Rika gasped at how beat up she looked.  "It's my property, I can do what I want with it."

"She's nobody's property!" Rika protested, stepping forward angrily.

"I was hoping I'd run into you again," Myotismon smiled.  "Apparently, my little slave has taken a liking to you, and I see the feeling is mutual."

Renamon started to struggle in Myotismon grasp, and he worked to tighten his grip.  Howling, Renamon savagely raked her claws across the vampire's face.  With an inhuman scream he flung her into a rock formation and she slid to the ground.

"Renamon!" Rika cried, running towards the fallen digimon despite Ryo's attempts to stop her.

Myotismon and Cyberdramon both sprang into action at the same time, but Myotismon reached his target first, wrapping an arm around Rika's neck.  Cyberdramon was forced to pull up short, claws still poised threateningly.

"Keep your little beast at bay, Ryo," Myotismon warned, "Unless you want this girl's broken neck on your conscience."

Ryo growled, but held Cyberdramon back.  Renamon, however, took advantage.  "D-Diamond Storm!" she cried, sending a salvo of glowing projectiles into Myotismon's unprotected back.  Myotismon spun around to face his slave, barely on her feet, a look of determination on her face even as she fell to one knee.

"And the girl dies," Myotismon stated, tightening his chokehold.  Rika gasped for breath, summoning up every ounce of her strength to drive an elbow into Myotismon's stomach.  The vampire reflexively doubled over, releasing his hold and Rika sprang away, bringing her foot across the side of Myotismon's head.  The blow didn't faze him long, and he thrust a palm into Rika's chest, sending the girl flying backwards to the ground.

Crossing his hands in front of him, Myotismon howled with rage.  "Nightmare Claw!"  Rika could only watch in horror as the shockwave swept towards her.  Cyberdramon tensed, but Ryo held him back once more.

"Myotismon was right.  This really isn't our fight.  It's Renamon's fight now."

Rika started to close her eyes, but a sudden flash of motion caught her sight.  The shockwave descended on her, but all she could see was the yellow of Renamon's fur as she took Myotismon's attack full on.  Mouth open in a silent scream, Renamon collapsed to the ground, her body starting to phase.

"Renamon!!" Rika screamed, cradling Renamon' body in her arms.  "I'm so sorry…"


	5. The Light of Digivolution! Kyubimon's R...

"I'm so sorry," Rika sobbed as Renamon continued to phase.  "This is all my fault."

"Don't be sorry," Renamon smiled weakly.  "If I had to, I'd do it all over again."

"Renamon, I…  I'm…" Rika began, tears falling from her face.  As they mixed in with the dusty ground, a bright light suddenly shone in the air.  The light coalesced, falling into Rika's hand and solidifying.  "Is this a-"

"Digivice!" Myotismon finished for her.  With a wild yell, he ran towards the duo, hoping to finish Renamon off before…  He recoiled as the light from Rika's new digivice spread, enveloping Renamon in its glare.  The vixen's eyes sprang open, and Rika gasped as a word slowly scrolled across the screen of the device.  "Digivolution."

Jumping to her feet, Renamon thrust her hands down by her sides.  "Renamon digivolve to…" An egg of energy surrounded her, while inside it her body transformed.  The external layer of data around her core peeled away before the core itself shifted.  As she hunched over onto four legs, her head became more beastly, her mane of fur larger, and red-and-white striped ropes formed around her shoulders.  As she spread her now nine tails wide into a fan, the egg burst in a flash of digital flame.  "Kyubimon!"

Rika stared in surprise, glancing from Renamon's new form to the blue ringed digivice in her hand.  "I can't believe it…"

"This is too perfect!" Myotismon gloated.  "Not only do I get my revenge on you two, but I get to download the data of a Tamer's Digimon!"

"We'll see about that," Kyubimon growled deep in her throat.  She circled around, trying to find an opening to attack.

"So that was his plan…" Ryo said, extending a hand to help Rika stand up.  Rika took it, and he pulled her to her feet.

"Mind letting me in on it?" Rika asked, brushing the dirt off.

Ryo explained.  "Well, it's said that if you load the data of a Tamer's Digimon, you gain the power to go to the Real World."

Rika's eyes widened.  "If he manages to get to the Real World…"

"He'd have a nearly endless supply of victims,' Ryo finished.

"So, now you know my plan," Myotismon conceded.  "Too bad it won't do you a bit of good!"

"You'll find it hard to go to the Real World when your data is scattered to the four winds!" Kyubimon shouted, pouncing towards Myotismon.  She slammed a shoulder into the vampiric Ultimate, teeth reaching for his throat.  Myotismon brought his hands up to block, grabbing Kyubimon's jaws and pushing her head to the side.  The beastly fox leaped to the side as Crimson Lightning slapped the ground where she had been.

Myotismon readied twin red streams of energy, but Kyubimon bounded away from his strikes.  From a distance, she spread her tails in a fan behind her as a fireball formed on the tip of each tail, nine in all.  "Fox Tail Inferno!"  The fireballs shot forward seemingly with a mind of their own, three spiraling up each lash.  With a howl of pain, Myotismon released the whips even as the three remaining fireballs struck him directly in the head.

The vampire stumbled backwards, smoke rising from his scorched face.  Cape billowing behind him, he spread his arms open wide.  "Grisly Wing!"

A wave of bats swarmed towards Kyubimon, but the Champion fox was prepared.  Leaping into the air, she rolled into a ball, her body surrounded by blue flame.  "Dragon Wheel!"

A blue flame dragonhead shot out from the ball of fire, enveloping the oncoming attack.  As quickly as Myotismon could summon the bats, they were vaporized.  The dragon's maw opened wide to swallow the vampire, but he only brought his cape tight about his body.  He propelled himself forward, twisting as he cut through the air, his body a spinning torpedo.

One hand shot out of his cape and, with a cry of "Crimson Lighting," a stream of energy intercepted the ball of the dragon's tail.  The mystic flame vanished, Kyubimon falling to the ground.  She rose to her feet as Myotismon touched down, and she was forced to use all her agility to dodge lashes.

"Of course!" Rika yelled, reaching to the cardholder on her belt.  She had taken it with her just in case she should have an opportunity to use them.  Rika pulled a card out and held it in front of her.  "Digimodify!  Hyper Speed Activate!"

"What?" Myotismon cried as Kyubimon sped around to his back.  Rearing onto her hind legs, Kyubimon brought her claws down Myotismon's back, causing the vampire Digimon to howl in pain and spin around, Crimson Lightning at the ready.  Kyubimon had already bounded away with the last of the card's power, and was seemingly out of reach.

Growling, Myotismon thrust out his hand, flinging Crimson Lighting at Kyubimon.  She leapt to one side, but Myotismon had prepared for it and swept his attack to the side, catching Kyubimon across the side.  With a howl, Kyubimon landed hard on the ground, scraping a small mound of dirt as she slid.

"Kyubimon!" Rika called, trying to figure out what card to use next.

Cyberdramon hunched down further, a loud growl rising in his mouth.  Ryo looked first at his partner, and then over at Kyubimon.  "Now."

With a triumphant howl, Cyberdramon leapt into the air, slashing the air with his claws.  Green streaks of energy gathered in his palm, increasing in intensity to a bright white.  "Desolation Claw!"

Myotismon whirled as the energy blast streaked towards him, rolling to one side.  He sprang back to his feet as Kyubimon launched another barrage of Fox Tail Inferno.  Reeling slightly from the attacks, Myotismon hissed, "We'll finish this later."

Gathering his cape about his body, Myotismon shot through the air and away from the battle.  As Cyberdramon landed, still growling, Kyubimon struggled to her feet.

 "Kyubimon…" Rika said as her new Partner slowly walked over to her.  She reached up, stroking the side of Kyubimon's face.  "I don't know what to say."

"I do," Kyubimon answered, nuzzling Rika's cheek with her own.  "Thank you, Rika.  You saved my life."

"And you saved mine," Rika replied, kissing the side of Kyubimon's muzzle.  "I should be the one thanking you."

Ryo politely coughed into his fist and Rika pulled away, trying to hide the hint of a blush.

"Right," Ryo said.  "We may have won this round, but Myotismon is still a threat.  We may have another Ultimate, but…"

"My friends don't," Rika finished for him.  "Which means we need to get to them as fast as he can."

Kyubimon nodded her head, and bent her front legs, allowing Rika to vault onto her back.

"Speed is of the essence," Ryo said, pulling out a card.  "Let's get there as fast as we can."

Rika nodded pulling out her own card.  "Digimodify!  Hyper Speed Activate!" they called out at the same time.

Kyubimon crouched for a second before bounding forward, nearly flying across the ground, Rika hanging on for dear life.  Cyberdramon shot off after them, the pair racing to find the rest of the group.

******

Myotismon returned to his castle in a rage, tearing through the halls and past cowering servants.  His pet had turned on him and once again his power of seduction had failed.  What was it about the girl and the Renamon that allowed them to resist?

Then there was that accursed Ryo brat.  Myotismon sneered at the thought of the boy and his pet dragon.  They had been thorns in his side for some time now, one that he had been unable to pluck.  And now, there was no doubt that he would join up with the rest of the group.  With the strength of an Ultimate like Cyberdramon, even such a pathetic group could be a serious threat.  All he needed was a plan…

******

"It's a good thing those Jagamon had seen where Makuramon went," Kenta told the rest of the group as they trudged onwards in their pursuit of Calumon.

"But it's too bad none of them had seen Rika," Jeri sighed.  She looked up at the digital streams moving around in the distance.  "I wonder if she's alright."

"Knowing her," Kazu said, "I suspect she's fine.  I actually kinda pity anybody who tries to mess with her."

"If I know that Renamon like I think I do," Guardromon added, "Rika could be in trouble."

"I'm not so sure," Henry disagreed.  "She did save Rika from Myotismon."

"And Myotismon left soon after.  But he didn't look too pleased," Leomon rumbled, still trying to sort out everything.

Guardromon was the first to spot the incomings.  "Something's headed our way, and fast.  Two somethings."

Leomon's hand strayed to his sword and Guardromon stepped up to the front.  Guilmon, however, stayed put, his nose working overtime.  "I smell Rika!" he said happily.

"Hmmm?" came the collective gasp from the group.

Kyubimon landed from an especially long jump, raising a large cloud of dust.  Cyberdramon touched down not far from her.

"That doesn't look like Rika," Terriermon said, eyes glowing.

Henry held up his digivice, a display popping up.  "The large one's Cyberdramon.  He's an Ultimate level Cyborg digimon.  His Desolation Claw attack is devastating."

"And the other one's-" Kazu started to read from his device.

Rika finished the sentence for him as she hopped to the ground.  "Kyubimon."

"Rika!" Takato exclaimed.  "You're back!  What happened?  Who are these digimon?"

Ryo hopped down from Cyberdramon, coughing slightly as he waved away the dust.  "Well," he said, "Cyberdramon's my partner."

Kazu's jaw dropped as he recognized one of his idols.  "Ryo Akiyama?  Is that you?"

"Umm, yeah.  You know me?" Ryo responded.

"Of course we know you!  I can't believe it!" Kenta exclaimed.  "It's The Ryo Akiyama!"

"Who's Ryo Akiyama?" Takato asked, turning towards Henry.

"A rather famous Digimon Card player," Henry replied, chin in hand.  "He disappeared shortly after winning a card tournament about a year ago.  I guess this is where he disappeared to."

"I can't believe it!  I'm a Tamer just like Ryo!  How cool is that?" Kazu cheered.  He couldn't believe that he was actually getting a chance to meet The Ryo Akiyama.  Ryo, who was undefeated in all of the Digimon Card tournaments he had been in.

"Is he always like this?" Ryo asked Rika, a little embarrassed at all the attention he was getting

"Usually," Rika replied with her arms crossed, well aware of Kazu's fanboy tendencies.

Jeri glanced over at Leomon who, along with Guardromon, was looking at Kyubimon suspiciously.  Kyubimon was looking right back, maintaining a level face.

"So what's the story with Kyubimon?" Takato asked, noticing the looks too.

As Rika opened her mouth to speak, Kyubimon was surrounded by a white glow.  When the glow faded, she was back to Renamon, but her level face remained.  Leomon lowered his brow and growled deep in his throat.

"It's that Renamon that attacked us!" Kazu exclaimed as Guardromon strengthened his stance.  Leomon gripped the hilt of the sword at his back; ready to use it should the need arise.

"Come to attack us again?" he asked.  Renamon looked down at Rika and their eyes met.  Rika slowly nodded, laying a comforting hand on the vixen's shoulder.

Rika stepped forward, holding up her digivice for everybody to see.  "Actually," she smiled faintly, "We're partners."


	6. The Ultimate Miracle Destruction of Evi...

The tension eased considerably as Rika made the announcement.  Leomon loosened his grip on his weapon, but he didn't let go.  Jeri stepped out from behind Leomon's protective bulk, a wide smile splitting her face.  "Hey, that's great!" she said happily.  Rika gave a slight smile back, and Leomon finally relaxed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  He never stopped glaring at Renamon though.

"So, what happened with Myotismon?" Henry asked.  "Last we knew, you were still on his side."

"I don't blame you," Renamon grimaced.  "I had the severe displeasure of being forced to serve him.  That is, until I turned against him and he sought revenge for my betrayal.  I owe Rika my life," she said, taking Rika's hands in her own.

"And I owe Renamon mine," Rika replied.  "But now," she said, turning back to the group, "he's angrier than ever."

"I say bring him on," Kazu said, cracking his knuckles.  "Guardromon and I can't wait for a rematch with fang-face."

Renamon shook her head in disbelief.  "I watched your last battle with him and how well it went.  On top of that, he's had a chance to fully recover."

"That's where I come in," Ryo spoke up.  "Cyberdramon and I should be able to turn the tide of battle in our favor.  And we'll all be free of Myotismon forever."

"Sounds like a plan.  Too bad it will avail you nothing."

Renamon whipped her head to the side to look up at Myotismon, who was the one who had spoken.  He was standing on top of one of the many ridges around the group.  A slight smile was on his face, made only the more wicked by his fangs.  The Tamers all turned to face him, looks of anger on their faces.  No reaction was more severe than Renamon's.

"You…" she growled, her hackles rising.  Rika's scowl deepened and she placed a comforting hand on Renamon's shoulder.  It was as much to reassure herself as it was her partner.

"Down, girl," Myotismon sneered.  It was just the reaction he was looking for.  He wanted her good and angry, and therefore easy to manipulate.

"You have no right," Rika growled back.  "None!"

"And what exactly is it you intend to do about it, eh?" Myotismon asked.

"Rika..." Henry said warningly.  Something about the whole scenario just didn't feel right.

Unfortunately, Rika didn't heed his warning tone.  Instead she pulled a card from her hip and responded "This!"  She slid the card through her digivice with a cry of "Digimodify!  Digivolution Activate!"  "Renamon digivolve to... Kyubimon!"

"Is that all?" Myotismon said cooly after the digivolving process was over.  "Really, you'll have to do better than that."

"We'll show you just how much better we can do," Rika said, vaulting onto Kyubimon's back.  "Won't we?"

Laughing mockingly, Myotismon launched himself backwards off of the outcropping.  Crouching, Kyubimon sprang away after him.

"Rika, wait!" Ryo shouted, but it was too late.  Rika was out of voice range and she probably wouldn't have listened anyway.  He grumbled loudly.  "C'mon, maybe we can catch up before they get in too deep."

"Incoming!" Guardromon called.  "Twelve o'clock high!"

Everybody's eyes immediately faced skyward to see what Guardromon had spotted.  The sky was filled with a multitude of red, glowing arrows that were rapidly falling to earth.  The party scattered and dove as the projectiles rained down on them, and soon the source of the attack came into view.  What looked to be an enormously long dragon landed in a clearing close to the Tamers.

"What is that?' Kazu asked, crouching next to Guardromon.

"I think it's another Deva!" Henry called back.  "Either way, it's trying to destroy us."

"Damn," Ryo cursed.  "Was this Myotismon's plan all along?"

******

"No more running!" Rika yelled from Kyubimon's back.  Myotismon was still leaping backwards, a smug grin on his face.  Rika ached to remove it permanently, but she couldn't as long as Myotismon was getting away.

"Too true," Myotismon replied, skidding to a halt.  Looking around he added, "Yes, I think this is an excellent spot."

Kyubimon landed from one final leap and Rika dropped down from her back.  "Decided to stop running and face us?" Kyubimon growled.

"Don't you get it?"  Myotismon laughed loudly.  "I wasn't running, I was leading you away from your little friends.  Right about now they should be Deva chow."

"I should have known it was a trick," Rika cursed.  "Damn you..."

"Exactly," Myotismon crowed.  "And now, you will both pay.  Crimson Lightning!"

Twin streams of crackling red energy lanced out towards Rika and Kyubimon.  Rika tucked her shoulder and rolled, narrowly avoiding the strike.  Kyubimon propelled herself backwards and both attacks hit empty ground.  Myotismon pressed the advantage and charged forward, one clawed hand brought back to strike.

Kyubimon rushed forward to meet his charge, jaws reaching for the vampiric Ultimate's throat.  Myotismon was the one to land a blow, claws raking across Kyubimon's front hip.  The Champion fox landed awkwardly, limping slightly on her injured leg.

Rika breathed deeply to try to calm herself and pulled out a card.  "It's time we got seriously into this fight!" she called to Kyubimon.  "Digimodify!  Hy…"

"Stay out of this," Myotismon snapped, whipping around with a bolt of Crimson Lightning.  The attack caught Rika across the cheek, and she went flying, cards scattering all over the ground.

"Rika!" Kyubimon cried, crouching to leap over and check on the girl.  Myotismon was faster than she, and lashed out again, the energy whip wrapping around Kyubimon's back leg.

"And where do you think you're going?"  Tugging hard, Myotismon pulled Kyubimon back, causing the champion fox to cry out in pain before being slammed into the ground.  "I'm not through punishing you!"

Groaning, Rika struggled up to one arm, her other hand feeling the side of her face.  She winced as it came back, blood smearing her fingers.  "Damn it to hell," she grunted before looking up towards Kyubimon.  She let out a gasp as she saw Myotismon wrap his attack around Kyubimon's scarred front leg.  It looked to her like Kyubimon was struggling to remain conscious, despite the pain.

"Now do you know the price of betrayal?" Myotismon sneered.

"Damn it," Rika cursed again, tears beginning to form in her eyes.  "There's gotta be something I can do."  She looked around for a card, but they were all scattered across the ground, flung away as she was brought down.  "I wish I could find some way to save her…"

The sudden glint of something blue caught at the corner of Rika's eye, and she turned to look at it.  As she did, her eyes widened, and she let out, "It can't be…"  But it was, and Rika reached over to pick up the newly formed blue card.  Her other hand reached out for her digivice, and she levered herself into a sitting position.  Placing the blue card at the beginning of the slot, she called out, "Hey, Myotismon!"

His energy whip still wrapped around Kyubimon's leg, Myotismon turned to face the girl.  "So, you still have some fight in you?  I'll just have to remove it more forcefully."

"I don't think so," Rika replied.  "What you're going to do is witness the true power of the Tamers!  Digimodify!  Matrix Digivolution activate!"

"Digivolution?  What?" Myotismon yelled, taken aback.  "What is that card?"

"Kyubimon, Matrix Digivolve to…"

Myotismon whipped around to witness Kyubimon's body being surrounded by a bright glow.  Inside the glow, Kyubimon's data began to reform, her body once again becoming humanoid.  Long priestess's robes formed on her new figure, a large yin-yang symbol emblazoned on the chest.

"Taomon!"

"Taomon…" Rika repeated breathlessly.  "Renamon digivolved to Ultimate…"

"You're still no match for me!  Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon raged, lashing out at Taomon with twin whips.  Almost disdainfully, Taomon caught them through the long sleeves of her robes.  "No…"

"I no longer fear you, Myotismon," Taomon told him.  "I am free from your control." Giving a sharp yank, Taomon pulled Myotismon off of his feet and towards her.  After that, she flipped both feet up and slammed them into Myotismon's face, releasing the whips to send him crashing backwards.  "Your reign of terror ends now!"

"Never!"  Myotismon screamed.  "You will die!  Nightmare Claw!"  A shockwave tore across the ground, ripping up chunks of earth and heading straight for Taomon.  Effortlessly, she leapt into the air, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly below her.

"No," Taomon replied calmly.  "It is you who will die!"  A large calligraphy brush emerged from one long sleeve and Taomon gripped it both both hands.  "Talisman of Light!"  After a series of strokes with the brush, a glowing blue symbol appeared in mid air, light slanting down to fall onto Myotismon.

"This cannot be!"  Myotismon howled, clawing at the symbol that had descended onto his chest.  "NO!"  Myotismon's attempts to resist the power of Taomon's attack failed, and his body burst into data, his final scream still lingering in the air.

None of that mattered to Rika just then, however.  She was only concerned with the fact that Myotismon had been destroyed once and for all.  "You did it!" she cried happily, running towards Taomon.

Taomon opened her arms, catching Rika in a warm embrace, arms wrapping around the girl's body.  "No," she said softly.  "We did it.  Together."

"Together," Rika repeated, sighing happily.  She placed her head on Taomon's chest, and closed her eyes.  "And that's the way it will stay."

******

With one final sickening crunch, Cyberdramon's claw pierced the skull of Majiramon, and the dragon's body evaporated into random data.  With the threat eliminated, Cyberdramon shrunk back down to normal size, the effects of Ryo's card wearing off.  Unfortunately, he was still growling and looking around as if searching for the next opponent.

"Cyberdramon, down!" Ryo commanded, wrapping a blue beam around the Ultimate dragon's wrist and tugging.  Cyberdramon tugged back, and Ryo had to fight to stay on his feet.  "I said down!  Damn…"

"Ehh?  What's wrong, Ryo?" Kazu asked.

Ryo grumbled under his breath before explaining.  "Once Cyberdramon kills, he goes into a sort of blood lust and wants to continue fighting.  If he doesn't find another opponent, he might start fighting any Digimon that's nearby, including all of your partners."

"I don't think that would be a good thing," Takato said in an understatement.  "Is there anything that can be done?"

"Only one thing," Ryo replied, vaulting onto Cyberdramon's back.  "Hey, maybe we'll meet again some day.  Don't forget to say goodbye to that firebrand Rika for me!"

With that, he was gone, Cyberdramon racing headlong across the plane of the digital world.  Almost immediately after, Henry let out a loud gasp.

"Damn!  We almost forgot about Rika!  We've gotta…"

"You've gotta do what?" Rika asked as Renamon set her feet down onto the ground.

"Rika," Henry sighed.  "You're all right.  But… what happened to Myotismon?"

"Well," Rika began, looking up at Renamon.  "Right when I began to think it might be hopeless, I got some help in the form of a blue card.  Renamon digivolved into Taomon, and destroyed Myotismon once and for all."

"Hey, that's great!"  Takato grinned.  "I guess this means you're officially one of us now!"

"Perfect," Kazu griped, but Rika shot him a death gaze and he fell silent.

"I'm really glad to hear that," Jeri smiled.

"Say," Rika said offhand.  "Whatever happened to Ryo?"

"Well," Henry explained.  "We had a run-in with another Deva.  Cyberdramon defeated it, but then went feral and Ryo had to leave with him.  He did ask us to say goodbye to you for him." He coughed into his hand.  "I believe his exact words were 'Don't forget to say goodbye to that firebrand Rika for me.'"

"Firebrand," Rika said, rolling her eyes.  "The nerve of that guy…"

"Are you denying that it's true?" Renamon asked with a smile.

"Now, I never said that…" Rika responded, returning a coy smile.  "Oh well," she sighed.  "I can't shake this feeling that we will definitely meet again, though."

"Not another feeling," Kazu grumbled.  "I tell ya, nothing good ever comes from that."

******

With Rika back in the group, the search for Calumon continued, but not before they set up camp for the night.  Rika and Henry were working to set up the blankets, when another question popped into Henry's mind.

"Say, Rika," Henry asked.

"Hmm?"

"One thing that's been bothering me.  How come Myotismon's attempt at seduction failed on you when it worked so easily on Jeri?"

"I'd like to say willpower," Rika said at first, "but that's unfair to Jeri and not true either.  When he looked into my eyes, it was as if I could hear him promising to be everything I wanted him to be."  She paused, looking over to where Renamon was working to build a fire.  "Let's just say his offer didn't interest me in the slightest."


End file.
